Mop or wiper.



Y lPUBMEDV NOV. 22, 1904.

HQO. THOMAS., MGP 0R WIPER. APPLIoAmo-N' FILED AUG( 27. 19os N0 MODEL.

Patented November 22, 1904.

PATENT EErcE.

HENRY O. THOMAS, OF HARRISBURG, NEBRASKA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,463, dated November22, 1904.

Application filed August 27, 1903.

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, HENRY O. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Banner, in the Stateof Nebraska, have invented new and useful Improvements in Mops orWipers, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

The purpose of this invention is to provide an improved device in thenature of a mop or wiper for cleaning walls or oors adapted to be usedeither wet or dry and when used wet to be wrung without detachment ofthe mop or wiping-cloth from the stretching or carrying devices.

It consists in the features of which are set out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved mop. Fig. 2is a plan view of the same, both Figs. 1 and 2 showing the mop orwiping-cloth in the customary position for ordinary wiping. Fig. 3 is adetail side elevation of a portion of the stretcher with the mop orwiping-cloth adjusted to a different position from that shown in theother iigures. Fig. 4 is a section at the line 4 4. on Fig. 2.

My improved mop or wiper comprises a handle 1, which has pivoted to it abifurcated block 2, the handle being inserted between the separated armsor fingers 2", as seen in the drawings. The sides of the block 2 aregrooved, whereby the block is adapted to retain the loops 3 3, which aremade of wire of such diameter as to fit tightly in the grooves, the loopbeing folded at right angles to the side bars or stems, so that when theside bars are lodged in the grooves of the block said loops may turndownward, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, projecting beyond the plane of thelower face of the block, whereby they are adapted to hold thewiping-cloth 4; in the manner most clearly seen in Fig. 1. vThiswipingcloth is preferably made from a web which has its ends connectedand through which the loop 3 at the forward end of the block isinserted, while the loop at the rear end serves to hold the two plies ofthe wiping-cloth off from the face of the block when it is stretchedconstruction Serial No. 170,904. (No model.)

terminating in a hook or loop 9, which is v hooked through the rear endof the wipingcloth 4, as seen in Fig. 1.

Coiled about the handle 1 below the bracket 5 is a spring 10, one endofwhich is stopped on the handle and may bev fastened to it, as seen at10, the other end of the spring reacting against the lower end of thesleeve 5, with a tendency to thrust the bracket up on the handle, andthereby stretch the wiper and hold it. taut over the block between thetwo loops 3 3. The bracket 5 is prevented from rotating about the handle1 by means of a long key 11, which is lodged in agroove 12 in the handleand has an offset head 11 projecting out through the sleeve 5a. This keypermits the sleeve to slide longitudinally on the handle, but locks itequallyagainst rotation at all positions.

For wringing the mop the operator rotates the Vcrank-handle 8, therebycausing the hook 9 to be rotated and to twist the mop after theold-fashioned method of hand-wringing. It will be understood that unlesspressed against the floor or wall for wiping the block 2 will be drawnby the pull of the wiping-cloth on its forward end out of the positionshown in full line in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3, beingstopped in latter position by the rear loop 3 coming up against theunder side of the handle, and that in this position it will stand whilebeing wrung, as above described. The action of wringing the cloth,tending to shorten it, will cause the bracket 5 to be pulled downagainst the resistance of the spring 10.

IOO

rotary tendency of the entire bracket 5 causes the key l1 to be pressedlaterally against the side of the groove 12, and the key being of metal,and the handle in which the groove is formed being of wood, such lateralpressure, tending' slightly to embed the corner of the key in the wood,makes it resist further sliding movement of the bracket on the handle,so that in the further wringing the cloth may be twisted tightly andwrung quite dry instead of becoming merely wound up in a knot, as itwould be liable to be if it were free to shorten indefinitely under thetwisting action.

When using this implement for wiping either wet or dry aroundbase-boards and door or window casings, and particularly over the top ofsuch casings, where dust accumulates, it is very desirable to have aprotruding nose which will reach into the smaller corners and over theprotruding moldings to wipe them clean, and for such use the forwardloop 3 may be reversed in position, as shown in Fig. 3, whereby there isformed a distinctly protruding nose 13 at the forward end of the block,consisting of the wiping-cloth folded over the upturned loop andprojecting beyond the upper surface of the block.

I claim- 1. A mop or wiper comprising a bifurcated block, a handlepivoted to the block at such bifurcation and adapted to fold thereininto lline with the block; a wiping-cloth connected to the forward endof the block; means sliding' on the handle for holding the rear end ofthe wiping-cloth, and a spring forcing said means up on the handle tostretch the said v cloth, and means for stopping the handle from foldingback through the block.

Q. A mop or wiper comprising a block; a handle pivotally attachedthereto; a wipingcloth connected to the forward end of the y block andextended thereunder; a stretching device mounted on the handle andconnected to the rear end of the wiping-cloth; a spring forcing saidstretching device up on the liandle, and means limiting' the pivotalaction of the block on the handle to prevent the forward connection ofthe wiping-cloth with said block swinging back rearward.

3. A mop or wiper comprising a block having lateral grooves; loopshaving their side bars lodged in such grooves and bent to project pastthe plane of the lower surface of the block; a wiping-cloth engaged withthe forward loop and extended back under the rear loop; a stretchingdevice mounted on the handle and engaged with the rear end of `thewiping-cloth, and a spring reacting' between the handle and thestretching' device to pull the rear end of the wiping-cloth up rearward,and means limiting the swing of the block on the handle to prevent theforward loop from swinging back rearward.

4. A mop or wiper comprising a block bifurcated at the rear end; ahandle pivoted to it in suoli bifurcations, said block having itslateral edges grooved; loops `having their side bars engaged in saidgrooves, the forward loop being adapted to engage the wiping-cloth,

and the rear loop by its cross-bar to stop the handle from swinging backthrough the bifurcations past such cross-bar; thewiping-cloth engagedwith the forward loop and extended thence back under the block and underthe cross-bar of the rear loop; a bracket sliding on the handle havingmeans for engaging the rear end of the wiping-cloth, and a springreacting between said bracket and the handle to stretch thewiping-cloth.

5. A mop or wiper comprising a handle and a block pivotally connectedthereto and provided with means for holding the forward end of awiping-cloth, and stopped in its pivotal movement with respect to thehandle to prevent the forward end from swinging rearward at the side atwhich the wiping-cloth lies; a wringing device and means whereby it ismounted on the handle, said wringing device comprising means forengaging the rear end of the wiping-cloth; a spring operating againstsaid wringing device to stretch the wiping'- cloth, and means forrotating said device to wring said cloth.

6. A mop or wiper comprising a handle and thrust the latter away fromthe block; means mounted on the bracket for engaging the rear end of thewiping-cloth to stretch it under the block, and means for rotating saidengaging means to wring the wiping-cloth.

7. A mop or wiper comprising a block past which the wiping-cloth is tobe stretched; means at the forward end of the block holding one end ofthe cloth; an element at the rear end of the block projecting down pastits lower face to hold the cloth oif from the block; means other thansaid element for securing the rear end of the cloth to stretch it pastsaid element, and means for rotating said securing means to wring thecloth.

8. A mop or wiper comprising a block past one face of which thewiping-cloth is to be IOO TIO

the rear end of the block projecting down past; its lower 'face to holdthe vcloth ofi' from the block; a handle to which the block is pivotedand means carried by the handle at a position rearward from the rear endof the block for securing the rearend of the Cloth to stretch it pastthe block.

1n testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of'two witnesses, at Chicago1 Illinois, this 18th day of May, 1903. IO

HENRY O. THOMAS. Witnesses:

FRED. G. FISCHER, J. S. ABBOTT.

